instalimb uses 3D scanning and printing to make prosthetic legs more affordable

instalimb is a philippines-based company that’s on a mission to make prostheses more affordable. using 3D scanning and 3D printing technology, the team produces high-quality prosthetics at a faster rate and at a lower price.

instalimb’s CEO, yutaka tokushima, first formed the company in 2017 after treating a patient with gangrene caused by diabetes. due to the lack of affordable prosthetic legs, the patient did not undergo an amputation and he sadly died. after witnessing this somber reality, tokushima set about developing a way to manufacture prostheses at a very low price. 

images and video courtesy of instalimb

the process begins by measuring the patient using a 3D scanner. with this data as a starting point, instalimb then designs a custom prosthesis using 3D-CAD software. the result is a high-quality socket that fits the end-user perfectly. to realize the products, they utilize a specialized 3D printer that uses cheap but quality plastic composite materials. the overall process reduces production costs and production time by one-tenth when compared to traditional methods.

‘all the instalimb employees and I are confident that this can be a solution for the desperate situation concerning prosthetic legs in emerging and developing countries around the world. we can solve this problem and we will continue to work hard to envision a world where they can be resilient against difficulties derived from the ever-expanding population in the emerging countries and the possible rising number of diabetic patients out there, even if they undergo an amputation,’  says yutaka tokushima. 

project info:

company: instalimb